1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to card-receiving devices, and, in particular, to card-receiving devices to which cards having different outer dimensions can be loaded. The card-receiving devices have simplified structures and improved usability.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cards to be loaded may include a memory card provided with a semiconductor memory and capable of recording data and an extension card attached to electronic apparatuses for extending functions thereof, for example.
As disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-150078, such cards are inserted from loading slots of personal computers, information terminals, dedicated devices for the cards, or the like, and loaded in, for example, card connectors provided in card-receiving devices.
When such cards are loaded from the loading slots of the card-receiving devices, both sides of each card are guided by a pair of guiding portions provided thereon, and terminal electrodes of the cards are connected to respective connecting terminals of the card connectors. In this manner, the cards are loaded into the card connectors.
Nowadays, various types of cards having different storage capacities, different shapes, and different dimensions are in widespread use. To improve their usability, card-receiving devices to which cards having different outer dimensions can be loaded are also in use.
One such card-receiving device includes common connecting terminals for two cards having different outer dimensions. Both of these cards can be loaded in the card-receiving device by attaching an adaptor to the smaller card such that the outer dimension of the smaller card is virtually identical to the outer dimension of the larger card and by connecting either of the cards to the common connecting terminals.
However, as described above, the smaller card requires the adaptor whenever it is loaded in the card-receiving device. This is inconvenient.
Another example of a card-receiving device for two cards having different outer dimensions includes a first loading path for the larger card and a second loading path for the smaller card inside the card-receiving device. The terminal electrodes of the larger card inserted from a loading slot through the first loading path are connected to first connecting terminals, and the terminal electrodes of the smaller card inserted from the same loading slot through the second loading path are connected to second connecting terminals.
However, in this case, the card-receiving device must have two loading paths, and the connecting terminals must be formed both on the first and second loading paths. This causes a larger device and an increase in the number of parts. Moreover, a guiding mechanism for guiding the card to the first loading path or the second loading path depending on the difference in the outer dimension is also required. Thus, the structure of the device is complicated, in addition to the upsizing of the device and the increase in the number of parts.